Antenatal classes - where do I start?

[KatieWatie]

I am 27 weeks and haven't done anything or been to any classes. I don't even know how to find out where they take place let alone anything else... should I have been going this whole time?

My doctors surgery does 'Parentcraft' classes twice a month, is this the same as Antenatal classes? As they are drop in then surely everyone is at different stages.

Reall I'm starting to panic that I'm not at all prepared and will just end up going into labour with no clue what is meant to happen or what I am meant to do (this is my first baby and I have no female friends locally, or close female friends of my age generally, to ask about this)

If you might like to make local friends with babies of a similar age then check out the NCT classes. They cost but if you are on benefits then you might get a discount. These are about giving information but also generating group discussion about concerns and what if scenarios. www.nct.org.uk/courses
Also, ask your midwife or contact your hospital as they usually offer free nhs classes, but these are more factual information than discussion based and can be quite large groups.
I don't know about parentcraft...it sounds like it could cover any age group of child, you'd have to ask your GP Surgery.
Don't panic, you have time...

Hi Katie

I'm just like you, 28 weeks now and didn't know when I should have sorted this out! I got the number for parent education off the front of my hospital notes - you could ask your midwife if you can't find it. Called today and although she said they were booked up till Oct she did manage to squeeze us into one class on labour, pain relief and some baby stuff with a hospital tour at the end and a breastfeeding workshop on another day. Better than nothing I guess! She said that unfortunately some people just don't get a place on anything at all because of the demand. Hope you get sorted!

Mrs H x

Parentcraft was the name used in our hospital for antenatal classes. Ring your midwife tomorrow, tell her to get you in, ours were over a 6 week period. With dd1 the community midwife organised it, gave you a date, this was a good few years ago, but they still organise it the same way, have recently had dd3.